


Ripped

by AnonLife



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Badass Marinette Dupain-Cheng, Blood and Injury, Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng Fluff, Cross-Posted on FanFiction.Net, F/F, F/M, Gen, Hospitalization, Loss of Trust, Monster of the Week, Panic Attacks, Scars, Slow Burn, Stealth Crossover, Verbal Humiliation
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-05-05
Updated: 2017-07-18
Packaged: 2018-10-28 08:31:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 7
Words: 14,935
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10827609
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AnonLife/pseuds/AnonLife
Summary: Healthy Fitness Day was just supposed to be another one of Chloé's schemes; but, Marinette soon finds herself trapped in a battle of life and death without the benefit of Ladybug's powers.





	1. Chapter 1

“Don’t worry girl. It’ll be over quick,” Alya consoled before walking up to the scale set up in the courtyard.

  
Marinette directed a glare at her schoolyard bully, Chloé Bourgeois. The blonde girl was smirking superiorly with her arms crossed over a black sports bra. This entire day was her fault.

  
But softly, the dark haired woman admitted to herself, it was a little bit her fault too.

  
After a particularly draining night chasing Akuma and scrambling to finish homework, the part-time superhero forgot to do her laundry. Such a small oversight became her undoing when Marinette squeezed into one of her older outfits so she could rush to school.

  
While being a designer meant she liked to be fashionable, it didn’t bother her to wear an outdated set of clothes. The problem was that she hadn’t worn these clothes since before she became the saviour of Paris, Ladybug.

  
“Hey Chubbinette! They’re not going to let you stay covered up forever!” Chloé taunted, laughing with her best friend Sabrina. “Don’t worry even your ass isn’t fat enough to rip spandex.”

  
Marinette softly growled and hugged her oversized beach towel to stay covered up.

  
It was such a small thing. She was trying to say ‘Good Morning’ to Adrien, her crush. She just wanted to say hello, but then she started to babble and when she tried to stop babbling, her clumsiness kicked in and her pencil slipped to the floor. All she did was bend over to grab it; and, before she even realized what was happening, she had popped a stitch.

  
The mortification of ripping her pants in front of her crush burned on her cheeks, but nothing could make her feel worse when her nemesis burst into laughter at her distress.

  
Chloé immediately capitalized on her misfortune, taking as many pictures as she could while the dark haired girl fought to cover herself up.

  
Madame Bustier was sympathetic and had sent the embarrassed girl home for a change of clothes, but the damage was done. The blonde haired devil had convinced her father that Parisian students needed a ‘Healthy Fitness Day’ so they didn’t end up like an obese American. She was even able to convince him that the girls needed to wear spandex sports bras and shorts for accurate measurements in front of everyone.

  
Now she was stuck covering herself up until it was her turn, watching her classmates give her sympathetic looks for Chloé’s body shaming.

  
Hoarding cookies in her purse and living in a bakery. Constantly wearing loose fitting clothes and hiding her physique. Opting out of gym class and the various sports clubs. Even her years as a shy nobody fit into the puzzle for her classmates.

  
Everyone was certain that these were the hallmarks of an unconfident chubby girl with body image issues. Marinette wanted to scream in frustration when even Mylène had offered her support.

  
But her friends and classmates could not have been even more wrong.

  
How could she explain that the dozens of cookies she slipped into her bag were for Tikki, her Kwami partner, to recharge throughout the day?

  
How could she tell them that she wore loose clothing because she didn’t want to give any more hints about her identity?

  
How could she make it clear that she didn’t take gym or play sports because it wasn’t fair thanks to the boost from her alter ego?

  
Marinette grumbled to herself. She couldn’t explain any of this; and, now she was stuck, wrapped up like a mummy, and about to be exposed.

  
A glance at the boys made her feel a little better. She blushed darkly when she started to drink in the sight of her crush, Adrien. Like herself, the boy usually wore loose fitting attire. She figured he didn’t appreciate the extra attention. After all, he was a model. But Marinette couldn’t help herself from sneaking glances to admire him.

  
The blonde haired, green eyed man had a body like an Adonis. His chiseled physique was almost like a cross between a long distance runner and a martial artist, powerful yet compact. Even Kim, the self proclaimed jock, didn’t look nearly as fit in a muscle shirt and shorts.

  
Marinette was so lost in her fantasy, drinking in the perfect body of the love of her life, that she almost missed being called up.

  
“Mademoiselle Dupain-Cheng! Please step up!” the female dietitian called, directing the young woman to the scale.

  
The dark-haired woman sighed and tried to calm her rapid heart. She could feel the eyes of her entire class on her as she stepped onto the scale, refusing to remove her towel an inch.

  
“63.6 kilograms!” the woman announced, “Please take off your towel for measurements and body fat percentage.”

  
Marinette could hear her classmates break out into whispers. Despite her mortification, the Ladybug inside her was beginning to get annoyed.

  
“Oh my God!,” Chloé crowed gleefully, “She’s even fatter than I thought.”

  
Alya shot a dark took to the blonde haired menace and encouraged, “Don’t listen to her!”

  
Even the dietitian gave the pigtailed girl a sympathetic look and offered, “It’s alright sweetie. It’s better to get things like this over with.”

  
Marinette grit her teeth and gave one final sigh before letting her towel drop to the side...

  
**“WHAT!?”**

  
She was ripped.

  
A year of running around the city, fighting off hordes of villains, and access to all of the fresh food she could every want was bound to have an effect. The only person that could come close to her level of physical activity was Chat Noir.

  
Tikki had explained that the magic in her Ladybug outfit bestowed speed and strength well above a regular person, but these attributes also bled with her civilian self.

  
Years of resisting the delectable temptations from her parents’ bakery had strengthened her resolve, but gave her the calories and protein she needed for healthy growth. With Papillon’s constant onslaught, Marinette found herself with more than enough exercise on a near daily basis to tone her long legs and muscular thighs.

  
Blushing a bit at all the scrutiny, Marinette waved her hand in front of the dietitian to finish her measurements. She was even more embarrassed when she realized everyone was staring at her.

  
“Girl! When? How?! What!?” Alya sputtered incoherently, pulling the dark haired woman next to her.

  
The entire class seemed to crowd around, eager to listen in.

  
“U-um. I-I work out?” Marinette stuttered cutely, not sure how to explain things without giving her secret away.

  
“Work out? Mari, you look like you could give Agreste a run for his money if you gave up design and went into modelling!” Alix exclaimed, mockingly giving the girl a once over.

  
Blushing even more and reaching behind her head, the young woman gave an awkward smile, “Y-you all saw m-my Papa on Career Day. I-it runs in the f-family?”

  
“Oh! That makes a lot more sense. Your papa was even bigger than Sabrina’s dad,” Alya exclaimed, grabbing the other girl in a hug, “I just can’t believe you were hiding your awesome figure all this time.”

  
Tom Dupain while known for his pastries and gigantic heart was also a gigantic man. While he might have been a little out of shape, his arms and chest were absolutely massive.

  
The group started nodding and chattering at the explanation, giving appraising looks to their dark haired class representative as if seeing her for the first time.

  
Marinette couldn’t help blushing even more and feeling a bit self-conscious, shifting a bit from side to side. Even if the outfit wasn’t quite as form fitting as her Ladybug costume, it was a bit strange for her to be on display.

  
“Bah! Who would even like an over-muscled Amazon anyways?” Chloé interjected derisively.

  
A sly look appeared on Alya’s face as she pointed to the edge of the group. “I don’t know... I think Adrien appreciates the look.”

  
Marinette bit back a retort and nearly gave herself whiplash as she turned to look at the aforementioned blonde boy.

  
She felt like the color was never going to leave her cheeks because Adrien Agreste, the love of her life, was staring at her with a glazed look in his eye, repeating the same word again and again.

  
“Wow.”  
  


* * *

 

“Looks like I’m up next, dude,” Nino remarked, nonchalantly taking his place on the scale and leaving Adrien to his thoughts.

  
The blonde haired boy frowned to himself as he tugged a bit at his ‘Healthy Fitness Day’ workout outfit. The bicycle shorts and muscle shirt clung tightly to his body, highlighting every inch. But Adrien’s discontent had little to do with feeling a bit exposed. His modeling career had long ago put an end to feeling body conscious.

  
His thoughts were actually focused on his perpetually shy classmate, Marinette. Glancing over to the young woman wrapped in a towel, his heart reached out to the girl.

  
“Hey Chubbinette! They’re not going to let you stay covered up forever!” his childhood friend Chloé taunted, laughing obnoxiously.

  
Adrien felt torn. He knew Chloé was being unfair and a bully. If he was honest with himself, the whole last week had been a perpetual war raging inside his head. Listening to the blonde girl belittle Marinette repeatedly made him feel terrible, but he was afraid he would lose his oldest friend if he said too much.

  
So what if the dark-haired girl was a bit chubby and kept cookies in her purse? Chloé was really going too far to embarrass her.

  
The part in him that was Chat Noir was tempted to pay the blonde a visit, but he had been at a loss to explain how he could’ve known about the bullying without giving away his secret identity. Plagg had pointed out that she probably wouldn’t listen anyways, Chloé didn’t hold the leather clad hero in the highest esteem.

  
What would Ladybug think of him now?

  
Too afraid to do what’s right and willing to let a sweet girl have her self-confidence ripped to shreds. Just when he finally started getting Marinette to open up to him...

  
They had gotten off to a bad start. Chloé ruined that too, sticking a piece of gum on the dark-haired girl’s seat. Marinette hadn’t known that he wasn’t responsible. Even after he apologized and gave her his umbrella in the rain, it was obvious that he made the poor girl uncomfortable.

  
At first, Adrien thought that maybe she was just a wallflower, but time and time again, the young woman proved her tenacity, stepping up to Chloé, offering kind words, and taking charge as the leader of their class.

  
With wallflower off the list, he thought that maybe the girl never accepted his apology and carried a grudge; but, that possibility faded as quickly as it had come. Marinette was so sweet and would often try to say hello even if she always ended up tongue tied. She didn’t have it in her to hold a grudge.

  
No. It was clear. Adrien could see the panic in her sapphire eyes every time he got closer. She was embarrassed for ignoring him that day. She regretted giving him the cold shoulder, but had no idea how to make amends. The sweet, kind girl wanted desperately to make up for a misunderstanding that, at the end of the day, was his fault.

  
The green eyed man knew it was just going to take time. He would just have to let her feel more comfortable; and, eventually, she’d realize that he didn’t blame her for thinking so poorly of him. Back then, she had every right to be mad at him.

  
But as he glanced over at the girl stepping up for her turn. Now, she was going to feel judged by her peers. Her towel was going to drop and she’d be devast-.

  
“Wow,” Adrien slipped out, eyes widening at the sight of the goddess in front of him.

  
Idly, the young man thanked Chloé for making sure that everyone had to wear spandex. Never in his dreams did he imagine that his shy but tenacious classmate looked like that underneath her baggy clothes.

  
Unconsciously, Adrien moistened his lips as he drank in Marinette’s long muscular legs and beautifully rounded butt. Her abs were clearly visible from a distance while her moderately sized breasts seemed just perfect for her form. She was like a professional dancer or a tall gymnast.

  
He knew he was staring. He knew he shouldn’t be staring. He didn’t care he was staring.

  
“Wow,” the model repeated, unable to blink.

  
Adrien wondered what it would feel like if he squeezed her butt. Would it be rock solid? Or would there be just enough softness? How did she make standing look so sexy?

  
“Wow,” the blonde haired man muttered one more time, before abruptly feeling himself dragged back to reality.

  
“Dude!” Nino whispered harshly, “Stop staring!”

  
Turning scarlet, Adrien realized the entire class was now watching him. To his chagrin, Marinette was looking like a deer caught in the headlights, completely red herself.

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: Cross-posted from Fanfiction.net. 
> 
> Next time on Ripped: Now that Marinette’s made Chloé eat her own words, she has the chance to really catch Adrien’s attention. Will our shy sweetheart be able to impress her crush? Push yourself to the limit, Marinette!


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Previously on Ripped: To her mortification, Marinette was forced to show off her muscular physique to the entire class; but, now, a certain someone can’t seem to look away.

 

“Attention students! Please head to the stadium so that we may continue the assessment.”   
  
Mechanically, Marinette followed her classmates, wishing the ground would swallow her up. She hardly noticed when her best friend squealed and grabbed her in a hug.

  
“GIRL! He was staring at you!” Alya whispered enthusiastically, almost dragging the dark haired girl along.

  
“Oh god. Wh-what should I do? There’s no way. I-I um. Does A-Adrien likes f-fit girls? Oh no, am I too fit!?!?” Marinette babbled, turning steadily redder.

  
Her redheaded friend gave an exasperated look, “You saw the way he was looking at you. I’m pretty sure you broke him with your sexy bod.”

  
A quick glance over her shoulder at Adrien showed the blonde boy was still out of sorts. Nino even had to direct him away from a lamppost so he didn’t run into it.

  
“B-but what kind of guy would like an over-muscled amazon anyways?” the young woman despaired, hugging herself self-consciously.

  
Alya gave her friend an even bigger hug and encouraged, “You of all people should know the guys like a strong woman. Just look at Ladybug.”

  
Marinette’s eyes widened, suddenly nervous, as she stuttered, “Wh-why do you say that?”

  
“Ladybug was just voted the Teen Choice Female Hottie, and her skintight costume really shows off her muscles. It’s on my blog. Didn’t you read it?” her friend remarked, pulling up the aforementioned article on her phone.

  
A sigh of relief escaped the dark-haired woman’s lips, “Y-yes, yes. Of course.”

  
“So make sure you give it your all. If it works for Ladybug, it’ll definitely work for you,” Alya reassured, surreptitiously gesturing behind them. “If you weren’t my bestie, I think I might be jealous.”

  
Marinette was taken aback by her friend’s words and peeked behind her shoulder.

  
To her shock, the entire male half of the class was trailing behind them, blatantly staring at her butt. A few of the boys were quickly turning their head away trying to avoid getting caught. One particular blonde even had a goofy grin plastered to his face and couldn’t seem to look away for more than a few seconds. 

  
The dark haired girl wanted to pinch herself. Her crush was ogling her ass. The obvious interest felt… kind of empowering to be honest, almost like when she transformed.

  
“If it works for Ladybug…,” she muttered thoughtfully as they finally made it to the stadium.

  
Monsieur D'Argencourt, the physical education and fencing instructor, was standing in the center of the field waiting for them with a stopwatch and clipboard.

  
“We will begin the assessment now. It has been broken up to evaluate your overall fitness,” the man gestured dispassionately. “Ladies, you will be first. Please line up for the 1500 metre run.”

  
Marinette moved to the outer ring of the track next to Alya and undid her pigtails, swiftly retying her hair into a tight ponytail. From the corner of her eye, she could still see the boys staring at her. Before she even realized what she was doing, the part-time superhero angled herself ever so slightly and bent over, running her hands down her thighs and calves as if to warm up.

  
A strangled set of gasps rang out from the sideline.

  
The dark haired girl nearly lost it right there as she righted herself. Determinedly, she kept her eyes away from one particular boy that she hoped had gasped. If the suppressed giggles come from Alya were any indication, she had a pretty good feeling she had succeeded.

  
Marinette turned her attention back to the fencing instructor, wondering about the delay. He was looking less composed than normal. The dark haired woman ruefully shook her head when she realized the problem.

  
“Monsieur D'Argencourt! Is it really necessary for me to be a part of this? Obviously, this day wasn’t meant for me,” Chloé interjected, directing a glare at Marinette. “It just wouldn’t be fair to run circles around people that are just going to trip on their big feet.”

  
The competitiveness began to bubble inside the dark haired girl. After a week of listening to the she-devil throw fat joke after fat joke, she was annoyed. Even after being forced to expose her toned body to everyone, this brat was still insulting her? Her inner Ladybug was just itching to come out.

  
“It’s alright Chloé. We wouldn’t want you to break a nail if you trip,” Marinette waved dismissively toward the sidelines in a lofty tone.

  
If looks could kill, the dark haired girl figured Chloé would have murdered her at least ten times over. “You wish, Clumsinette. Fine, I’ll just have to show Adrien how worthless you really are.”

  
“If that is all Mademoiselle Bourgeois? Take your place,” Monsieur D'Argencourt nodded pointedly, obviously annoyed at the delay from the spoiled girl.

  
Marinette closed her eyes and took a deep breath to calm her nerves. She would give it her all. The dark haired girl crouched down, feeling the track with her fingertips. She was Ladybug.

  
The whistle blew!

  
Like a rocket, Marinette pushed herself off the pavement, speeding passed the other girls angling toward the inside of the track. 

  
As she rounded the first corner, she took the lead ahead of Alix and continued to push forward. Each breath brought a cooling burst into her lungs. Heart steady like a metronome. The first lap was a blur. No one able to come close.

  
Passing the halfway mark of the second lap, Marinette let the ghost of a smirk play on her face, speeding up to lap the slowest girls. Chloé nearly ran into Sabrina and gaped when she realized that the dark-haired girl was already overtaking her.

  
Legs pumping like pistons, she overtook Mylène, Rose, and Juleka a few seconds later. In the distance, Marinette could still see Alya and Alix. She let herself get lost in the feeling of her muscles beginning to burn, the blood pumping, sweat dripping.

  
Letting her determination push herself forward, Marinette sped passed the second lap with only the slightest increase to her breathing, racing to hopefully catch up to her friends.

  
Peering ahead, she noted Chloé and Sabrina were getting closer once again. As she angled to overtake the pair from the outside, the girls abruptly shifted in front of her with their arms linked to knock her out.

  
Marinette’s mind started working in hyperdrive as her Ladybug instincts kicked in to keep her from ploughing into the trap. The part-time superhero swiftly spun and dodged around back to the inside of the track to overtake them once more.

  
With another burst of speed, the dark-haired girl finished her third lap and sprinted for the last 3/4th remaining right until she crossed the finish line. She had been so close to lapping Alix and Alya!

  
Slowly, Marinette let herself drop to a light job as she turned herself to the grass and headed back toward the crowd on the sideline, their jaws dropped.

  
Still running high on adrenaline, she couldn’t help herself. Cocking a pose like her alter ego and winking, Ladybug asked, “How’d I do?”

 

* * *

  
Despite Nino’s many and repeated admonitions, he couldn’t help himself. Adrien vehemently swore that there was some kind of lamppost akuma running around and making them materialize in front of him. 

  
It wasn’t like he was alone in his admiration. Kim nearly got run over when he kept walking into an intersection after the light changed. Even Ivan kept glancing over; and, he was in a committed relationship!

  
Wait. Did she just wiggle? Maybe if he kept looking he would know for sure...

  
“Dude!” Nino cried out, pulling the blonde’s arm sharply.

  
Adrien shook his head and looked around confused, “When did we get to the stadium?”

  
“We’ve been here for five minutes,” the dark haired boy replied, giving him a queer look before teasing. “Apparently, Marinette’s ass has a hypnotic effect on you.”

  
Blinking rapidly, the young man peered closely at the half-Asian girl as she re-tied her hair into a ponytail. The way she massaged her creamy thighs and bent ov-.

  
His brain went fuzzy. Wasn’t he doing something? Where was he again? His thoughts seemed so jumbled like a waking dream.

  
“Adrien! Earth to Adrien!” Nino interjected, waving his hand in front of his face. “Dude, I thought you would’ve been used to seeing pretty girls all the time. You’re a model.”

  
“Not really. I’m mostly in perfume ads or menswear. I think the only girl I’ve ever modelled with was a kid,” the blonde remarked, forcibly turning himself away from staring at the dark haired girl with the perfectly toned body. “I’m fine, though.”

  
Not even a second later, he found his eyes getting drawn right back where their classmate was arguing with Chloé. It did seem a bit strange that no matter what he did, he couldn’t stop looking at her.

  
“Seriously? Are you sure you’re okay? ” Nino asked, disbelievingly. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you so out of it. Marinette is cute and all, but you’re like... spellbound.”

  
“Yeah, yeah. I’m fi-,” Adrien started, before his blood ran cold, completely ignoring his friend.

  
Wait. Spellbound? _Was he okay_? 

  
The blonde haired boy’s eyes narrowed as the girls began to race. Marinette took an early lead and only seemed to be picking up speed. The way she was moving, so graceful and fluid, filled with raw power. Almost _superhuman_...

  
Marinette was bullied about her weight for an entire week and then suddenly on what was obviously the worst possible day of her life she turned into a Goddess? The girl that stuffed a dozen cookies every day into her purse had abs? 

  
It was all starting to make sense. How his eyes couldn’t stop looking at her. How _everyone_ except Nino were glued to her. It could only be one thing. She was _akumatized_.

  
Dislocoeur. Princess Fragrance. They twisted his head, made Chat Noir do their bidding. Kept him _spellbound_.

  
As the girl raced around the track blazing past all of the others, Adrien couldn’t unsee what was so obvious now. Marinette tripped at least five times each day while walking. And now? She just dodged a cheap shot from Chloé while running at full speed, leaving the blonde and her lackey in the dust!

  
It was just his luck that Plagg was back at school in his gym bag. Curse Chloé and spandex! He needed to figure out the best time to slip away and transform into Chat Noir. 

  
At the very least, this akuma seemed more benign like Le Dessinateur. Despite the evil of the transformation, Papillon gave _people_ power and first and foremost they used it to fulfill their desires. For someone as sweet and caring as Marinette, her idea of revenge wouldn’t be to hurt anyone! She would never go out of her way to make others needlessly suffer. Obviously, she just wanted to feel attractive.

  
But wait… Adrien turned toward his best-friend. What about Nino? How did he fit into all of this? Everyone else was staring, completely captivated and enthralled. How was his friend able to break the spell and keep his wits?

  
“Go Alya!” the dark haired boy yelled. “You’ve got this girl!”

  
Suddenly, everything was clear again for the part-time superhero. It all made sense... Nino didn’t have any special immunity. Alya was Marinette’s best friend. The dark-haired girl would never try to enthrall the other girl’s boyfriend. 

  
And there! Just as she crossed the finish line, Adrien had to shake his head in disbelief. 

  
Even as an akuma, Marinette cared so much about her friend, she kept her superhuman speed manageable so she didn’t embarrass Alya by lapping her at the end. 

  
But as she jogged back and stopped in front of them, the blonde haired boy despaired. The perfect sheen of her skin, the stray hairs that framed her face in just the right way, the spandex shorts and sports bra hugging the subtle curves of her body. He couldn’t even muster up the willpower to imagine where the akuma was hiding.

  
“How’d I do?” the Goddess asked with a confident pose and sexy wink that could have never come from Marinette.

  
Adrien hoped Ladybug arrived soon because he was already spellbound.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next time on Ripped: Marinette’s finally got her crush’s attention, but in the worst possible way! Will Adrien’s suspicions be her undoing? Watch out! Marinette!


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Previously on Ripped: Hoping to get Adrien's attention, Marinette tore up the track and really showed her stuff; but, the blonde model came to all the wrong conclusions and now thinks she's an akuma!

Marinette was bursting with excitement as she hurried back to the field. She never could have imagined that Healthy Fitness Day would actually be something enjoyable. The freedom to show off in her civilian form was unexpectedly exhilarating.  
  
As Ladybug, the cheers and accolades made her confidence soar, but at the end of the day when the mask disappeared, she didn’t feel quite the same. People cheered for the spotted hero, not plain, maladroit Marinette.  
  
But now? Even Adrien couldn’t look away! Every time she glanced over at her crush, the blonde model was oscillating between a goofy grin and laser focused intensity. It was incredibly flattering that he paid her so much attention.  
  
Just thinking about it made her turn a rosy hue. But a little voice whispered from the back of her head, “Maybe he wanted to ask you out on a date?”  
  
Immediately, she turned scarlet, banishing her inner-Alya to the far corner of her mind. Now was not the time for that. She did not need to turn into a babbling mess and ruin everything. After all, he was finally paying attention to her!  
  
It really wasn’t like the assessment was difficult. Side to side jumps, vertical leap, shot put, a little weight lifting. Piece of cake! With all of the positive attention, she figured it didn’t hurt to cut loose and give it her all. If anything, the better she did, the more interested Adrien became!  
  
Even the more esoteric activities couldn’t keep her from pushing her civilian capabilities to the limits. Though... she did have to wonder why punching machines and Whack-A-Mole were part of a fitness test… The dark haired girl mentally shrugged and decided it probably wasn’t important.  
  
When she finally reached her best friend she barely kept the excitement out of her voice when she asked, “Did Adrien go yet?”  
  
“Ooh. You missed out!” Alya teased, shoving her gently. “I bet you wish I had my phone with me.”  
  
Marinette playfully shoved the other girl back and pouted. For some odd reason, Monsieur D'Argencourt singled her out to do a written assessment. She rushed to get it done so she could watch Adrien’s turn, but it was just her luck that she missed out.  
  
“Seriously, girl. Model boy was looking almost as good as you. Monsieur D'Argencourt even sent him to take that written test, too,” the copper haired girl remarked, waving off to the side before she gave her friend a questioning look. “What was that about anyways?”  
  
“Really!? Adrien had to take it, too?” Marinette exclaimed, doing a little happy dance inside her head. She was ecstatic that  they had even more in common. “Ohhh... I hope I didn’t do too badly on it. It was a bunch of strange situational questions and problem solving. Things like what to do in a crisis or how do you put out a fire with a paperclip, three rubber bands, and a toothbrush.”  
  
Alya recoiled with an incredulous look on her face and burst into laughter. “W-what? That sounds like something Ladybug would have to do!”  
  
Marinette’s eyes widened and darted side to side. She actually _had_ tapped into her Ladybug creativity to figure out some of the questions.   
  
“Heh heh. Y-yeah. L-like Ladybug,” the part-time superhero agreed awkwardly before pointing wildly. “Ooh! Look Nino’s up!” Fortunately, the talented DJ actually was next in line for weightlifting.  
  
The bespectacled teen took the bait and ran over to cheer for her boyfriend. “Go Nino! Show off those guns!”  
  
A soft sigh escaped the young woman’s lips. Sometimes, hiding her secret identity from her best friend felt like a full-time job. But, just as she moved to follow, Marinette let out a grimace as she felt a set of perfectly manicured nails dig into her shoulder.  
  
“I know what you’re doing, Marinette Dupain-Cheng, ” Chloé spat venomously. “Everyone else might be fooled, but I’m not.”  
  
The dark haired teen felt a headache starting to build. What had she done to deserve this?  
  
“There’s no way someone like you could have beaten me,” the pampered blonde continued, stepping uncomfortably close. “You had to have cheated.”  
  
Beginning to get frustrated, Marinette rubbed her temples and pleaded, “Chloé. Just get to the point. How do you think I cheated?”  
  
“Ah ha! So you admit that you cheated. Just wait until I tell my daddy,” the spoiled girl crowed, gleefully. “He’ll have you arrested.”  
  
The dark haired teen felt like she wanted to scream, but instead gritted her teeth and growled, “What. Are. You. Talking. About?”  
  
Chloé snorted derisively and poked the other girl hard in the chest. “Don’t act dumb. Even someone _stupid enough_ to take steroids should have known you’d get caught.”  
  
“Wh-what!?” Marinette sputtered incredulously, gaping at the audacity of the accusation.  
  
“Seriously. I didn’t think you could get even more pathetic. Just to compete with _me_ on _my_ day,” the spoiled girl taunted, shaking her head mockingly.   
  
Indignation began to rise in the dark haired teen’s chest, but she kept control of her temper and voiced evenly, “I do not take steroids.”  
  
Internally, she began to count to ten and tried to imagine something calming. She wondered if it would damage her alter ego’s reputation if she let the next akuma get a pass if it went after her tormentor.  
  
“Puh-lease. It’s not like you even did a good job hiding it,” Chloé sneered, leaning closer. “At the very least, you could have trimmed your mustache.”  
  
Marinette inhaled sharply and leveled a seething glare.  
  
“And if you thought you could use _this..._ ,” the spoiled blonde continued, shoving the other teen backwards. “... to get Adrien’s attention, you’re _delusional_.”   
  
“That’s enough!” Monsieur D'Argencourt ordered, finally noticing the heated exchange. “Mademoiselle Bourgeois, come here.”  
  
Instantly, Chloé turned a faceful of crocodile tears toward the fencing instructor. “Monsieur D'Argencourt! Marinette has been saying terrible things about me. She’s said I have a mustache and that I’m delusional!”  
  
The dark haired teen clenched her fist and seethed, “Chloé…” She couldn’t believe the blatant lies that were coming out of the other girl’s mouth.  
  
“Look! She’s threatening to hurt me!” Chloé accused, gesturing at Marinette’s more aggressive stance. ”I demand you send her to Monsieur Damocles.”  
  
Monsieur D'Argencourt appeared as if he had a sucked a particularly sour lemon and scoffed, “Mademoiselle Bourgeois, that is quite enough exaggeration.”  
  
“I’m not sure that my _father_ would agree,” the blonde girl sneered.   
  
The fencing instructor stared at the spoiled teen with the utmost contempt. An undercurrent of rage lingered just beneath his gaze.  
  
“It’s fine. I’ll go,” Marinette interjected, drawing attention back to herself. She could almost see Monsieur D'Argencourt replaying his failed mayoral campaign in his head. She was not in the mood to save Chloé if she triggered the return of Le Chevalier Noir.  
  
Turning away quickly, the dark haired teen moved before anyone could stop her. A week of suspension was better than an akuma.  
  
However, just as Marinette reached the edge of the field, the hairs on the back of her neck stood up and a guttural voice roared, “CHLOÉ BOURGEOIS!”

 

* * *

 

Adrien desperately scribbled as quickly as possible. Every few moments, he turned his head ever so slightly listening for _anything_ in the distance. Internally, he was kicking himself for not having the strength of will to hide more of his abilities.   
  
Downplaying his performance should have been a piece of cake. The part-time superhero had more than enough practice with that thanks to fencing and basketball.  
  
Yet try as he might, the anticipation ate at him. Even without the akuma’s direct presence, the blonde teen could not bring himself to hold back even a semblance of his capacity. A burning desire to impress her lurked In the back of his mind.  
  
Perhaps even worse, Adrien could still _feel_ himself through it all. Every jump, every throw. He knew exactly what he was doing; and, it frightened him.  
  
While running through the exercises, he couldn’t stop glancing off to the sideline, eagerly seeking her cerulean eyes. How he hoped and longed for her to return and watch him outstrip the competition with no regard to his carefully kept secret identity.  
  
Was this how it felt every time he was turned against his lady? Something told him this might be different  
  
Either way, Marinette had the potential to be the most dangerous akuma he had ever faced.  
  
After his stellar performance, it was to be expected when Monsieur D'Argencourt singled him out for the extra test. Now, he was stuck in an empty locker room trying to figure out the best way to catch a purse snatcher in a toy store while an akuma could go off at any moment.  
  
Adrien suppressed a shudder as he began to randomly fill in bubbles on the assessment. He needed to get back outside before anything happened.  
  
Regardless of how nice or in control an akuma may seem, _Papillon_ was the one in control. If he became too impatient, he would order Marinette to create as much destruction as possible to lure Ladybug and Chat Noir. His goal was the Miraculouses; and, he would stop at nothing to steal them. Even if the sweet girl resisted for a moment, that resistance would come at a price. Their foe was not above torturing his victims for obedience.  
  
But a darker thought filled the blonde haired boy’s head... What if she gave in?  
  
The pencil slipped through his grasp. Chloé never could leave people alone. If her bullying was enough to turn the dark haired girl into an akuma, then she might-.  
  
“CHLOÉ BOURGEOIS!” a deep voice echoed into the locker room, turning Adrien’s blood cold.  
  
Frantically, the part-time superhero jumped to his feet and screamed, “Plagg! Transforme moi!”  
  
But the familiar power-up never came. Instead, a heavy shockwave rocked the stadium and forcing him to steady himself. The young man could hear his classmates’ shrieks of terror reverberate across the walls.  
  
“MARINETTE!”  
  
“RUN!”  
  
“GET BACK!”  
  
Patting himself down, Adrien realized his mistake and started cursing Healthy Fitness Day. Skintight spandex might show off the delectable curves of an unexpectedly attractive classmate-turned-akuma, but it also meant Plagg was sitting in his locker back at Françoise Dupont.  
  
The blonde haired teen grimaced tightly. If he abandoned his classmates, it would still take at least fifteen minutes to run back to school. His only other alternative was to face the akuma as himself.  
  
Another shockwave rattled the stadium followed by more screams. He knew what he had to do. He needed to buy enough time for everyone to get away and distract Marinette before she did too much damage. Hopefully, Ladybug would get here soon and save them.  
  
“Plagg, I’m never letting you out of my sight again,” Adrien muttered as he scanned the locker room for anything he could use to fight.  
  
Eyeing a few cricket balls and bats, the part-time superhero grabbed what he could carry and bolted back toward the stadium’s field. Internally, he prayed he had the force of will to resist the akuma’s allure long enough to make a difference.  
  
Just as he reached the entryway, a thunderous boom rattled the ground, forcing him to drop the leather balls and lean against the wall to keep his balance.  
  
The young man set his face into a dark grimace. He was too late. Straight ahead Marinette was holding Chloé in a fireman’s carry; and, for better or for worse, she was running directly at him. Her beautiful blue eyes were locked with his.  
  
A determined look was cast upon the young woman’s face; and, Adrien could feel himself succumbing to temptation. Every fiber of his being was yelling at him to help her.  
  
“PUT ME DOWN! PUT ME DOWN!” Chloé howled, shaking the young man out of his momentary stupor. The two girls were getting closer and closer as his time to act began to run out.  
  
He tightened his grip on the cricket bat to remind himself that he needed to slow her down. She was almost right in front of him. With a resigned sigh, the part-time superhero grabbed one of the cricket balls and tossed it into the air.  
  
Confusion briefly fluttered across Marinette’s face.  
  
With all of his might, Adrien swung his bat and slammed the leather orb at the young woman. A resounding crack sang out through the air.  
  
Time seemed to slow as he watched confusion morph into dawning horror.  
  
He couldn’t look away as the speeding ball stayed true and slammed into her abdomen, knocking the dark haired girl backwards and separating her from Chloé.  
  
Dropping the bat, Adrien darted forward and scooped his childhood friend into his arms to get her into the entryway. Quickly, he righted the blonde haired girl and grabbed his weapon again, intent on giving her the chance to escape.  
  
As he lifted his head to meet the akuma directly, he felt bile well up in his throat as he came to a haunting realization.  
  
Marinette lay curled up on her side, tears streaming down her face, as a giant purple monster stalked toward her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The purple monster is not Barney. It's actually a subtle reference to a future partial cross-over.
> 
> Next time on Ripped: Adrien has made a terrible mistake. Will he be able to make up for his blunder; or, will Marinette have to pay the ultimate price? Fight back, Marinette!


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Previously on Ripped: After misreading the situation, Adrien did the unthinkable and doomed Marinette to a one-on-one match-up against a mysterious creature.

 

* * *

In...  
  
Out...  
  
In...  
  
Out...  
  
Marinette felt a stabbing sensation with each shallow breath as she tried to focus on the cool grass beneath her. Pain radiated outward along her right side, centering deep within her chest. Her vision was slightly blurry from the tears that streamed down her face.  
  
She wasn't entirely sure why she ran back. Chloé would never have done the same. But, the dark haired girl couldn't ignore her instincts, even with a spoiled banshee screaming in her ear. Powers or no powers, she was Ladybug; and, she hoped the other girl was able to get away.  
  
For a moment, her mind flashed to blonde hair and green eyes.  
  
A bitter chuckle escaped her lips which turned into a pained cough. Droplets of blood mixed with saliva fell to the grass. A trickle of crimson lined the corner of her mouth.  
  
The heavy footfalls of the purple akuma drew closer. Now was not the time to lose focus.  
  
Slowly, the part-time superhero propped herself up, mindful to keep pressure on her right side. The skin had already turned an angry red and begun to swell. Her tentative grip felt equally relieving and painful.  
  
Her tears continued to fall. She had a feeling her ribs were broken, but she needed to buy more time for her partner to arrive. Idly, Marinette wondered what was taking him so long.  
  
"I am impressed by your unorthodox methods to delay me," the creature complimented in a deep rumbling voice. It drew her attention to an angry gash across its brow. The wound oozed a brownish yellow pus, leaving a sticky trail down the akuma's shiny purple skin.  
  
A self-satisfied smirk danced across her lips. It was nice to know that playing diskus with the five kilo weights had left an impression. She only needed a few tries to get her aim right; and, a couple on target throws toppled the creature and gave her the opportunity to rescue Chloé.  
  
"So broken… yet still _insolent_ ," the monster mused, its bulbous eyes roaming her form from top to bottom.  
  
Before the young woman could react, a clawed hand shot forward and grabbed her pigtails. A wave of pain coursed through her body as the akuma lifted her into the air, dangling helplessly in front of it.  
  
Gritting her teeth to block out the stabbing within her chest, she forced her eyes open to meet the creature's scrutiny. If she was going to die, she would die on her terms.  
  
"Careful with the hair…," the part-time superhero goaded, searching for the possessed object with her peripheral vision. Even if she couldn't purify it, the victim would transform back and give her some reprieve.  
  
The purple akuma eyed her curiously, running a sharp claw down her cheek. She held her defiant gaze, unwilling to provide the creature any satisfaction as he sliced open her face. Compared to her broken ribs, the cut was significant.  
  
"For all your heroics, your peers seem to have sacrificed you to my mercy," the akuma continued, unconcerned by her display of recalcitrance. "How does it feel to be betrayed by those you sought to save from my wrath?"  
  
Blonde hair and green eyes flashed across her thoughts again. Hurt and regret bubbled beneath her chest. The feelings filled her mind for just a moment and then... melted away...  
  
Adrien was safe. Chloé was safe.  
  
"Va te faire enculer," the dark haired girl clipped, a smirk dancing on her lips. It might not have been a pun, but she had a feeling Chat Noir would approve.  
  
The creature's countenance darkened; and, then she felt a large fist slam into her jaw, tossing her back toward the discarded weightlifting paraphernalia nearby.  
  
Pain flared throughout her beaten form, sending a deep cough to wrack the young woman's body. Her eyes scrunched to vainly block the stabbing sensation from within her chest. Conjuring up as must strength as she could muster, she forced herself to her knees, allowing a trickle of crimson to drip from her open lips.  
  
"Such a foul mouth. That is no way to address _royalty_ ," the creature corrected, gesturing to a thorny crown on his head. "You would do well to know your place."  
  
Marinette spat the rest of the blood that filled her mouth, minutely wincing as the action tugged at the laceration on her face. Lifting her chin defiantly, she eyed the akuma with sudden clarity.  
  
"Yeah? Forgive me… my liege…," the young woman wheezed sarcastically, taking a shaky stumble closer to a weight plate. "We really haven't… been introduced." If she could reach something she could use, there was a chance she could make it out alive.  
  
"Feel honored," the monster proclaimed in a tone of haughty arrogance. "For you are in the presence of the Aubergine King."  
  
"Well… that changes _everything_ ," the dark haired girl quipped, inwardly scoffing at Papillon's lack of creativity, but hoping the akuma's hubris would give her a chance. Angling herself carefully, she allowed her muscles to tense. All she needed was the right moment to make her move.  
  
But suddenly, a mocking laugh erupted from the purple creature, the smooth skin of its face contorting into a grotesque grin. Marinette's heart sunk as the Aubergine King reached behind her and carelessly tossed the weight away from her reach, seemingly reading her intentions and dashing her hopes for a weapon.  
  
"Fool me once. Shame on you. Fool me twice. Shame on me," the akuma taunted, leaning its head close to the young woman's face. The wound on his head pulsed angrily, oozing more of his sticky pus. "Did you really think that I would underestimate you again?"  
  
With her target so close, the dark haired girl felt her heart race, allowing her instincts to guide her actions. She darted a hand forward to grasp the thorny crown atop the creature's head, her nimble fingers immediately shearing the object, intent on releasing the akuma held within...  
  
Yet, no butterfly appeared.  
  
"My dear, I believe you have made your last mistake," the monster hissed, radiating killing intent.  
  
A cold sense of dread filled Marinette to the core; and, despite her body's protests, she forced herself to move. The part-time superhero tossed herself to the side, narrowly dodging a clawed slash that clipped her right pigtail. Ignoring the pain erupting through her body, she rolled into a standing position a couple of meters away.  
  
However, the Aubergine King would not be deterred and pressed his advantage. Wildly slashing, the ferocious strikes became nearer and nearer to the beleaguered woman as she continued to dodge for her survival, each near miss accumulating tiny knicks that littered her body.  
  
With every move, the dark haired woman began to feel herself weakening, the pain in her chest pressing and stabbing against her. Desperately, she fought to suppress the building pressure behind her breast to no avail and a bloody cough erupted from her mouth, forcing her to kneel.  
  
Undeterred, the creature moved to capitalize and sent one final strike aimed at her head.  
  
CLANG!  
  
"Tell Papillon… I'm not ready to die yet," Marinette spat, blocking the strike with a discarded weight lifting bar held like a staff. Roughly, she twisted her hands, forcing the monster to pull back his claws in retreat.  
  
A cold laugh echoed from the Aubergine King, putting the young woman on edge. She gripped her weapon tightly, maintaining her guard.  
  
"Such fire, such hate," the monster crowed, vaguely looking impressed. "This Papillon must be a _true_ artist. I wonder... What has he done to foster such utter loathing?"  
  
Confusion danced across the dark haired girl's face, but she remained wary of the unexpected reprieve. Evenly so as not to give herself away, she retorted, "Your _Master_ knows what he's done; and, Paris will never give in to one of his pawns."  
  
Immediately after the words left her mouth, she felt the air change, murderous intent radiating.  
  
" _What_ are you blathering about?" the creature hissed, all good humor drained from his visage. "A _King_ has no Master."  
  
Marinette stared open mouthed at the Aubergine King's indignant vehemence. With dawning realization, her eyes darted toward the still open wound on the creature's head. A wound that Papillon's magic should have healed.  
  
"You're not an akuma..."

* * *

He was running.  
  
Mechanically, Adrien moved his body, mind drifting. A young woman contorted in pain continuously flashed against his vision, a purple creature looming in the background. The sound of leather smacking flesh echoed through his thoughts.  
  
In the distance, he heard Chloé begging, "Hurry! We're almost out!"  
  
As they crossed the threshold, police officers pulled them away and urged them to the parking lot. Barricades were set in place behind them, blocking the stadium's entrances.  
  
A scream pierced the air, "MARINETTE!"  
  
Panic filled his body; and, his veins felt like ice. Suddenly, his muscles stopped working; and, the cricket bat slipped out of his grasp, clattering to the ground.  
  
Why was he still holding it?  
  
A copper haired girl pushed her way toward him, her boyfriend by her side. The pair looked no worse for wear, but visibly distraught. "Adrien! Where's Marinette? Why isn't she with you guys?" the girl pleaded, desperately searching for her friend.  
  
He opened his mouth, but nothing would come. The blonde haired boy felt his heart screaming and his breaths became more rapid. It felt like he was trapped and being suffocated as the walls of a building came down around him.  
  
What had he done?  
  
" _Marinette_ , almost got me killed! That's why she isn't with us," Chloé interjected, pushing the aspiring reporter to the side and sidling closer to him. " _Adrien_ saved me from her. If it wasn't for him, I never would have made it out of there."  
  
A wave of sickness filled the pit of his stomach. Blue eyes filled with terror and betrayal encompassed his thoughts. He wanted to say something... anything. He needed to move, but his body wouldn't respond. It was as if he was frozen.  
  
Alya's face contorted into red hot fury as she turned to glare at the blonde haired girl. Moving as if to strike the spoiled teen, Nino darted forward wrapping his girlfriend around the waist.  
  
"HOW DARE YOU!" the young woman screamed, pain and anger blazing brightly in her eyes. "SHE FOUGHT THAT AKUMA TO SAVE YOU!"  
  
" _Puh_ -lease," Chloé scoffed, unperturbed by the venomous looks being thrown her way. "How do we know _she_ didn't set this all up? Your little friend probably wanted attention and made the akuma to get back at me."  
  
For a moment, the aspiring reporter let herself go limp before snarling with renewed vigor, drawing looks of fear from their classmates.  
  
However, Nino pulled the girl further away so she would not be able to escape his arms; but, the dark look on the young man's face made it clear he was sorely tempted to let his girlfriend loose.  
  
Adrien forced himself to look away. He began to feel sick to his stomach as the pool of shame and self-loathing bubbled higher in his chest.  
  
This was his fault.  
  
"Alya! She's not worth it," the bespectacled teen begged. "Marinette didn't save Chloé so you could kill her."  
  
Turning herself around to face her boyfriend, the copper haired girl began pounding at his chest. Tears formed in her eyes, anguish written over her features.  
  
"Nino, you heard what Chloé said. She doesn't even care!" Alya wailed, tears flowing down her cheeks. "Marinette doesn't have superpowers. She might _die_ before Ladybug gets here."  
  
Despite the young woman's morbid fears, a blossom of hope bloomed in Adrien's chest; and, his eyes lifted upwards, looking for signs of the spotted hero that was surely on her way.  
  
What if she didn't make it in time?  
  
The whispers of doubt echoed in his mind, mixing with the sound of Alya's tears, as a vision of a dark haired woman with empty blue eyes filled his thoughts, lying in a puddle of blood. He felt a cold sweat break out across his body as the image of his lifeless classmate would not disappear.  
  
Why was _Chat Noir_ still here?  
  
And then, as if struck by lightning, he moved.  
  
Tearing away from Chloé's grip, he started to run, ignoring the yelps of surprise as he sped off into the distance. He wasted enough time lost in his head.  
  
It didn't matter how far he had to run to get back to collège. It didn't matter if he looked like a crazy person while he dodged traffic in the crosswalks. It didn't matter how many people he bumped into or knocked over along the way.  
  
 _He_ needed to make it in time; Marinette's life depended on it.

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks again for the reviews. Introducing #BadassMari and #PanicAttackAdrien. I had a lot of trouble deciding Adrien's part where I mapped out three different paths he could have taken. This one works best for later parts of the story.
> 
> Some of you may be wondering, why a giant aubergine? Where on Earth did that come from? There's actually a not so hidden crossover that will be used to expand on Marinette; and, the creature is inspired by that work. Feel free to guess the crossover. It'll be revealed 2-3 chapters later.
> 
> Next time on Ripped: Can Marinette stay alive long enough for Chat Noir to come to the rescue; or, will he be too late? Find the Aubergine King's weakness, Marinette!


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Previously on Ripped:
> 
> While fending off the Aubergine King, an injured Marinette made a shocking discovery. The deadly creature wasn’t an akuma! Meanwhile, a panic stricken Adrien was forced to grapple with the reality of his mistakes.

 

 

* * *

  
CLANG!  
  
Marinette grimaced as the force of the last blow knocked her backwards into the stadium tunnel. A glob of saliva and blood ran down her chin as she forcibly kept her breathing steady, mindful to keep from devolving into another coughing fit.  
  
Lifting her body back up, she tensed her muscles once more, sluggishly readying herself for the next attack. A dull ache coursed through her forearms and made her struggle to maintain her grip on her makeshift weapon. The barbell that had seemed so manageable during her fitness assessment had begun to feel like lead as it sapped the dredges of her dwindling strength.  
  
“I must commend your tenacity,” the Aubergine King complimented, slowly moving himself into view. “Chloé Bourgeois was blessed to have such a dedicated protector. It is rare to see such skill and loyalty.”  
  
Marinette would have liked to scoff, but held her tongue to take advantage of the unexpected reprieve.   
  
“However, we both know you are at your limit,” he continued, gesturing to her beaten form. “If you swear fealty to my crown, I will spare your life. A warrior of your caliber would be more than welcome, despite your… _humanity_ .”  
  
Time froze for a moment as the young woman stared into the creature’s bulbose eyes, searching for falsehood. A small smile danced along his lips.  
  
A downward glance at her arms left her struck by how pale her skin had become. The dull wetness from the gash on her cheek. The stinging pain of the nicks across her arms and torso. Each wound that refused to close leaked her vital lifeblood. She was fading fast.  
  
Chloé would have had no qualms in accepting the offer…  
  
Then, the moment passed.  
  
“Va te faire... foutre,” the dark haired girl snapped, lifting her head defiantly to meet the Aubergine King’s gaze with frosty orbs. Even if it meant death, she would keep fighting. _Ladybug_ would never give in.   
  
Suddenly, the monster’s smile grew larger and more grotesque, displaying his sharpened teeth prominently. A loud, sinister laugh rumbled from his mouth and echoed down the tunnel, sending waves of unease down Marinette’s spine. Before she could blink, the creature blurred; and, the young woman felt her makeshift weapon ripped from her hands, leaving her defenseless.   
  
A clawed hand shot forward, wrapping around her abused torso. Pure agony fired across her body as he squeezed and lifted her up. She tried to scream, but could only manage a pained whimper as she struggled to breath within his grip.  
  
“I knew you would never submit,” the Aubergine King chortled, clearly amused by her suffering. “I would have killed you immediately had you tried.”  
  
The edges of Marinette’s vision began to darken as she became more deprived of oxygen. She opened her mouth and bit down on the creature’s fingers with as much force as she could muster, making him drop her back to the ground.  
  
As the dark haired girl stumbled to her feet, she barely had time to lift her arms and block a thunderous blow from ripping off her head. The impact sent her flying down the tunnel, crashing into the police barricade that had been set up around the stadium.  
  
“MARINETTE!” someone screamed, recognizing her beaten form.  
  
Tears were streaming down her face from the pain coursing through her body. Her right forearm which took the brunt of the last attack was broken. Wrenching her eyes open, the young woman grimaced at the hardly damaged monster as he walked carelessly out of the tunnel.  
  
“Oh? You’re still alive! Magnificent. Absolutely magnificent!” the Aubergine King crowed, before shifting his gaze to the frozen crowd around them. Suddenly, his eyes lit up and the smile on his lips became increasingly sinister. In a dark, gleeful tone he cackled, “Chloé Bourgeois... You should have run while you had the chance.”  
  
Marinette angled her head from where she laid to look at the unmoving people as the monster ignored her in favor of stalking toward his true target. Internally, she cursed her classmates’ recklessness for staying so close. Gritting her teeth, the battered woman summoned the last of her strength to push herself to a kneeling position and force herself to her feet.  
  
“Running… away? Aubergine… King?” the part-time superhero goaded haltingly, letting her voice carry and suppressing the cough that threatened to burst from her lips.   
  
A hushed silence fell upon the crowd as they eyed the bleeding girl as she swayed dangerously. If it wasn’t for the gravity of the situation, she would have felt a bit self conscious to have so many pairs of eyes directed at her.  
  
The silence was broken by a scream.  
  
“Marinette, No! Please! Stay down!” Alya cried in the distance. “Ladybug will get here soon!”  
  
Shaking her head ruefully, the dark haired girl smirked. Ladybug was already here, even if no one knew; and, she couldn’t back down while everyone was still in danger. Not while she could still draw breath.  
  
But, the edges of her vision were still blurred; and she staggered a bit as she struggled to keep herself upright. Despite her bravado, this was it for her. Hopefully, her friends and family wouldn’t be too upset when she died.   
  
“My apologies, I nearly forgot to kill you.” the purple monster chuckled, walking slowly back toward the battered girl.  
  
Charging forward, the Aubergine King slashed at her head. Marinette braced herself for the impact and murmured, “Sorry... Everyone...”   
  
As the strike nearly hit, warm arms suddenly wrapped around her body. The smell of leather and oddly enough, cheese, drifted into the dark haired girl’s senses. Somehow, even her the pain dulled ever so slightly as a comfortable presence lifted her into the air and back down again. She felt her eyes become wet as she realized this wasn’t a dream and allowed the feeling of relief to flood into her system.  
  
“Easy, Marinette,” the familiar voice whispered, gently cradling her broken form. “I’ve got you, now.”  
  
A little chuckle escaped her lips, and turned into a weak cough as he slowly set her down.   
  
“You’re late... Chat Noir,” Marinette chided softly. Despite her predicament, she had never been so happy to see her partner. Maybe it was the blood loss; but, she couldn’t resist using one of his lines. “Very… un- _pun_ -ctual.”   
  
However, chagrin and regret appeared on the young man’s face as he completely ignored her terrible joke. It was odd to see him so grave and serious, but it didn’t dampen his aura of reassurance.  
  
“Sorry, I got held up,” the blonde murmured, rising to face the creature that was eyeing them curiously. His expression darkened. “This _akuma_ is going down.”  
  
Before she could correct him, he leapt away and Marinette let out a curse.   
  
“Merde!”  
  
He didn’t know the truth!  


* * *

  
Chat Noir felt the blood pumping in his head as he took in the sight of the purple monster in front of him. He scanned its form, searching for the possessed object; but, he was distracted by the mocking smile that sent waves of anger coursing through him.  
  
“Oh? Another challenger? I hope you will be at least as entertaining as the last…” the akuma drawled as it carelessly wrote him off, drawing a bored expression.  
  
Snarling, the blonde teen extended his staff and pole vaulted toward the creature, intent on slamming the end of his weapon on its head. However, it was ready for him and sidestepped the furious strike, leaving a crack in the pavement. Before the monster could move too far away, Chat Noir pivoted and tried to swing his staff; but, the blow was parried by its clawed hand.  
  
But, the creature paid his fury no heed. Lackadaisically, it continued twisted and turned, deflected and blocked with no counters or returned aggression on its part. It was content with trading blows without any real escalation. Toying with him and making him angrier.  
  
“Your movement... It’s familiar. Was she your student?” it taunted, keeping itself frustratingly outside reach.  
  
The distraction made him think about Marinette and the knowledge that she was bleeding out where he left her made him desperate to finish this battle as quickly as possible.  
  
“She’s my friend!” the leather clad hero hissed, trying to take control of the rage and guilt that burned within. Jumping backwards, he paused to reassess the akuma and get himself under control.  
  
Where was the object?  
  
“You should be proud. Even injured, she was _splendid_! Such grace and ingenuity to damage my perfect form,” the monster gushed, gesturing to the oozing wound across his brow, before showing his grotesque smile. “Tis a pity. If not for that blonde haired boy and his timely intervention, she may have escaped unscathed with my quarry.”  
  
Unconsciously, the teen’s jaw twitched at the reminder of his folly. It was sheer luck that he had made it back in time. He would’ve never forgiven himself if Marinette died because of his actions.  
  
“Enough talk!” Chat Noir spat, darting forward once more, intent on smashing the akuma’s smug face.  
  
Focused on shutting the creature up, the blonde hero didn’t notice the twitch of its lips as it shifted the blow to the side sent the now off-balance young man barreling into one of the police barricades. Stunned by the sudden deceleration, he was left open to a rapid flurry of slashes that crisscrossed along his leather outfit, drawing blood along his torso, before the creature jumped back a safe distance away.  
  
“Tut tut. Your little friend fought with a mere fraction of your strength; but, she was able to fend me off,” the akuma taunted, waving a hand carelessly. “Perhaps, I misread your abilities; and, in fact, _you_ are the student.”  
  
Chat Noir seethed at the insult, itching to use his Cataclysm; but, he held himself back. There was no telling what would happen to the innocent civilian beneath Papillon’s magic. He already had one person’s blood on his hands, his conscience wouldn’t be able to handle another.  
  
But… none of his attacks were dealing enough damage; and, he still couldn’t see anything that could be the item...  
  
Before the blonde teen could figure out a plan of attack, a loud shriek from the crowd caught his attention. Whipping his head around, he felt his heart fill with fear and dread as a broken, bleeding girl slowly dragged herself closer.  
  
“We’re not... done yet,” Marinette whispered harshly, her soft voice carrying across the battlefield.  
  
The akuma took notice as well, amusement dancing across its lips. “My, my,” the creature mused, clapping its hands mockingly. “There’s still fight left in you, but I wonder what you hope to accomplish…”  
  
A hacking cough erupted from the dark haired girl’s chest, sending her to her knees. Fresh lines of crimson dripped down her lips. Defiantly, she raised her head and turned to the blonde superhero, looking like a cat who caught a canary.  
  
“He’s… _not_ … an Akuma,” Marinette muttered and then finally collapsed in place.  
  
Chat Noir’s eyes widened impossibly in disbelief as he turned his head to look at the _monster_ again. A thoughtful look was on its face, a mixture of curiosity and boredom.  
  
“ _Akuma_?” it asked, rolling the word around distastefully. “That is the second time she has mentioned that word in my presence. What does that even mean?”  
  
A soft whisper drifted through the air and reached the blonde hero’s sensitive ears. “Don’t hold back… chaton.”  
  
Steeling himself, he called upon his magic and swirled the power into his right fist, carefully eyeing the creature so as not to waste his chance. For the girl that fought so desperately and even now still risked everything, he wasn’t going to miss.  
  
“ _Cataclysm_.” 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Phew, finally finished up the battle with the Aubergine King. Sorry this took so long, but I was taking a bit of hiatus on this story as I mapped out a few different parts. Got a bit disheartened because a few people couldn’t understand what was happening in the last chapter. Originally, I wanted Marinette to kill the monster, but I realized that wouldn’t work. She’s way too injured and her creativity could only take her so far. So I ended up reworking it to this. From here, there’s not much left to this part of the story arc, but I’ve already got the second part floating around my head.
> 
> Next time on Ripped: In the aftermath of the Aubergine King, everything’s changed. How can I trust you, Adrien?


	6. Interlude

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Previously on Ripped: Chat Noir arrives in the nick of time to save Marinette from a grisly fate; but, our heroine is quick to return the favor, risking it all ensure the Aubergine King’s defeat.

 

* * *

 

Paris under siege by monsters  
By Alya Césaire  
_ Ladyblog _

  
Parc de Princes was left in shambles on Thursday after an attack by a mysterious being calling itself the Aubergine King before it was ultimately defeated by our resident hero, Chat Noir. While Paris has grown used to the occasional akuma, officials have released that the creature responsible was, in fact, _ not _ a possessed victim.  
  
At a press briefing, Lieutenant Roger Raincomprix expressed that the monster is believed to have acted alone, targeting the Mayor’s daughter, Chloé Bourgeois in a quote “heinous show of disrespect against Paris”.   
  
Additionally, Raincomprix told reporters at the scene that the Aubergine King took a local collégienne, Mademoiselle Marinette Dupain-Cheng, hostage after she failed to evacuate in a timely manner which resulted in serious injuries. Citing Mademoiselle Bourgeois, a classmate of the victim, he said: “[Mademoiselle Dupain-Cheng] has a long history of attention-seeking behavior and false heroics. She is known for her absent minded falsifications and clumsiness which contributed to her being taken hostage.”    
  
The Lieutenant further went on to stress the importance of proper emergency protocol and to follow the Akuma Evacuation System to allow Ladybug and Chat Noir to handle any future attacks.  
  
_ However _ , news footage (seen below) of the crisis has  _ shown _ Mademoiselle Dupain-Cheng drawing the attention of the Aubergine King to  _ stop him _ from attacking other civilians,  _ including _ Mademoiselle Bourgeois, who had failed to evacuate to safety. This footage also showed that her distraction allowed for the timely arrival of Chat Noir. Additionally, despite grievous injuries, Mademoiselle Dupain-Cheng was also observed returning to the fight to deliver the key piece of information that the creature was, in fact, not an akuma, thereby allowing Chat Noir the opportunity to strike with his signature attack, Cataclysm.   
  
Raincomprix has not responded to comment on this footage.  
  
Witnesses reported that Mademoiselle Dupain-Cheng was instrumental in the evacuation within the stadium, drawing away the creature’s attention at great risk to herself.  
  
Former Mayoral Candidate, Armand D’Argencourt, who is a physical education and fencing instructor at Collège Françoise Dupont and was present during the attack had this to say: “If not for the efforts of Mademoiselle Dupain-Cheng, the students would  _ not  _ have been able to escape unscathed. Her quick thinking, creativity, and physical prowess allowed her to topple the [Aubergine King] with a series of well placed discus throws.”  
  
It is unknown how exactly Mademoiselle Dupain-Cheng was captured by the monster. Prior to the events immediately outside the stadium, she was last seen forcibly carrying Chloé Bourgeois away from the scene who later was mysteriously found in the company of Adrien Agreste, son and model of fashion mogul Gabriel Agreste, instead.   
  
Based on the numerous injuries sustained, it is believed that Mademoiselle Dupain-Cheng was tortured and forced into direct altercation with the Aubergine King for upwards of half an hour until the late arrival of Chat Noir.  
  
Currently, Mademoiselle Dupain-Cheng is unavailable for comment while she convalesces for injuries sustained in the battle.

 

* * *

 

Alya sighed softly as she pressed submit on her article. Throwing a pitying look at her best friend, she reached over to stroke the other girl’s hair, being mindful to avoid the bandages wrapped around the dark haired girl’s head.  
  
Every once in a while, a series of beep would echo through the room as a clunky machine rechecked the injured teen’s vitals.    
  
“It’s not fair, Marinette,” the aspiring reporter whispered, removing her glasses as they fogged up from her tears. “Hopefully, people read my post. You don’t deserve this. _They_ don’t deserve you.”  
  
After Chat Noir rushed the dark haired girl to the hospital, Alya raced after them, unwilling to let herself fall too far behind. So concerned with making sure that her best friend was still alive, the copper haired girl wasn’t able to stop Chloé from talking to the Media Circus.  
  
While Marinette was getting intubated on a gurney, the vultures were tearing apart her reputation. While the physicians started draining the blood around her collapsed lung, the Mayor’s lackey was placing the blame on her shoulders. While her broken bones were set and her wounds were stitched together, Paris was shaking their heads at her ‘brash stupidity’. Some of the discussions even questioned if there was a previous connection between the injured teen and the Aubergine King.  
  
Alya clenched her fists at the thought, but she forced herself to stay calm. No matter how much she wanted to rip Chloé Bourgeois’ head off her shoulders, the copper haired girl couldn’t let herself get akumatized.  
  
Marinette still needed her.  
  
Aside from the nonstop slander broadcast on every news outlet with the notable exception of TVi, it broke her heart to see her friend bruised and sedated on a hospital bed.  
  
Brushing the other girl’s hair to the side, she inspected Marinette’s wounds.   
  
Across her body, dozens of slashes had been carefully stitched together, forcing the wounds to close. Bruises ran up and down her form, marking the spots where the girl had fallen or taken a hit. In particular, a pair of large, blackened discolorations peaked out of the teen’s gown and along her right forearm, remnants to highlight where her ribs and ulna had broken.   
  
But one wound made Alya’s heart break.  
  
Gingerly, the copper haired teen leaned closer and hovered a hand along the gash running down her friend’s cheek. Six sutures held together a long laceration on her face, the final mocking reminder of the Aubergine King.  
  
It would scar.  
  
“Stupid stubborn girl,” the copper haired teen muttered, a wry smile on her lips. “Why didn’t you run?”  
  
A soft knock brought the young woman out of her musings.   
  
Placing her spectacles back on, she turned and looked up, expecting a nurse with Marinette’s next round of antibiotics; but, her eyes darkened at the sight of the man standing in the doorway. Unconsciously, her fists clenched as her rage bubbled to the surface.  
  
“What are you doing here, _Agreste_?” Alya spat, rising from her seat and stalking toward the blonde teen as he entered the room.  
  
A contrite look crossed Adrien’s face; and, he withdrew slightly at the fury that masked the other teen’s features. Clenching a small bouquet in his hand, he motioned toward the injured girl on the bed, but was harshly slammed into the wall before he could take a step.  
  
Eyes wide, he stuttered out, “I-I-I c-came to... I-I came to…”   
  
But, he was unable to find the words.  
  
The copper haired girl sneered and ripped the flowers out of the boy’s hand and shook them forcefully in his face before tossing them aside.   
  
“I know what you did.”  
  
Paling rapidly, Adrien became more visibly distraught, looking like a deer caught in the headlights. His hands shook tremulously and he slumped against the wall, dropping his eyes to the ground, unable to look at her.  
  
For moment, they stayed in that position. Alya maintained her harsh gaze and pressed harder against the boy’s chest, unwilling to back down.   
  
Finally, the young man mumbled in a broken voice, “Marinette told you?”  
  
A fist slammed into his abdomen, in response, sending him to his knees.  
  
“No... But, you just confirmed it,” Alya sneered, gesturing her arm back toward her injured friend. “Marinette’s still intubated because of the collapsed lung so they’re keeping her sedated. The doctors think they’ll be able to extubate her tomorrow when her chest tube stops putting out _blood_.”  
  
Adrien made no move to get up from the floor and placed his hands on his head, taking deep calming breaths to steady himself. Mumbling into his chest, he asked, “How’d you know?”  
  
“Tch,” Alya huffed, grabbing her chair from Marinette’s bedside and plopping down onto the seat. With her elbows on her knees, she leaned forward and looked at the boy over the top of her glasses. “That bruise on my best friend’s side? _That_ didn’t come from the monster’s fist.”  
  
Clasping her hands tightly, she continued, “When the doctors were inspecting her wounds on rounds, they couldn’t figure out how she broke the two ribs _above_ her floating ribs. Called it incredibly _lucky_. A fist that size should have also broken much more... Then, I _remembered_.”  
  
The blonde teen flinched and shuddered when he lifted his gaze toward her narrowed eyes.  
  
“How the _hell_ did Adrien Agreste end up _saving_ Chloé Bourgeois? Why were _they_ outside _without_ Marinette?” Alya demanded with her teeth clenched tightly. “ _Why_ _was he holding a_ _cricket bat_?”  
  
An oppressive silence fell in the room, only interrupted by the occasional sounds of the medical devices around them.  
  
Sighing deeply, the copper haired teen removed her glasses and rubbed her eyes. She stared at the boy in front of her, feeling trepidation about what she needed to do. She prayed her friend would forgive her.  
  
“You need to stay away from Marinette.”   
  
The young man whipped his head backwards in shock, opening his mouth to speak; but the bespectacled girl pressed forward cutting him off. his needed to be done.  
  
“I know her and she’d forgive you; but, this isn’t like the gum,” Alya reminded him, as the tears began to fall down her cheeks. Taking a deep breath she choked out, “She almost _died_ , Adrien. Because of what _you_ did.”   
  
Swallowing painfully, the copper haired girl steeled herself and poured her soul into the boy’s green eyes.  
  
“I-I don’t want you near her anymore.”  
  
Wordlessly, the blonde teen lifted himself off the floor, his face filled with pain and regret, but also… resignation. He closed his eyes and sighed deeply before dropping his head and walking out of the room.  
  
Alya watched him leave and felt her heart clench.   
  
Even though she knew she had done the right thing, it felt like she betrayed her best friend by not talking to her about this decision. But, the copper haired girl would stand by that decision if it would protect her.   
  
Adrien Agreste was no good.  
  
Turning back toward her sedated friend, she grabbed her hand and whispered brokenly, “I’m sorry, Marinette… I-I can’t let something like that happen again.”  
  
Maybe it was her imagination; but, she almost thought she could feel the dark haired girl squeezing back, as if to say “Don’t worry. I still love you. I understand why you did it.”   
  
Then, a loud knock rapped against the door, forcing Alya out of her musings. Without turning, she heard a person walk in, making her sigh with annoyance. She grumbled, “I thought I told you to stay away, Agreste.”  
  
Yet, the voice that replied was not that of teenager, but the deep baritone of an unfamiliar man. “Mademoiselle Césaire, I presume?”  
  
Startled, the girl whirled around to face a tall man in a nondescript black suit. “O-Oh! My apologies Monsieur! I-I thought you were someone else,” Alya gasped sheepishly.  
  
Waving his hand lazily, the man gave her an easy smile before he turned to the injured girl laying on the bed.  
  
“This is Mademoiselle Dupain-Cheng I take it?” he queried, inspecting Marinette idly.  
  
Suddenly on guard, the copper haired teen subtly moved her hand toward her friend’s call button. She didn’t recognize this man, and after all the slanderous news reports, she was wary.  
  
“How can I help you? Monsieur...?” Alya asked pointedly as her thumb found the raised plastic of the button.  
  
Smiling genially, the tall man grabbed a chair from the wall and made a show of sitting down a fair distance away, making the girl grimace lightly. He had noticed what she was doing.  
  
“My name is of no consequence,” he deflected, reaching into his jacket’s pocket and passing an envelope toward the teen. “I am merely here to deliver an invitation to Mademoiselle Dupain-Cheng on behalf of my organization.”  
  
Cautiously, Alya grabbed the outstretched letter and placed it on the side table next to the bed. With eyes narrowed, she looked at the man suspiciously before interrogating, “What kind of invitation?”  
  
“Nothing sinister, I assure you,” he grinned, holding up his hands in surrender. “Simply an opportunity for Mademoiselle Dupain-Cheng to consider.”  
  
Not convinced, the copper haired girl pressed forward, “Why _Marinette_?”  
  
If anything, the tall man’s smile grew larger at her question and he began to chuckle, not in the least bit intimidated by the teen’s protectiveness. Oddly, he seemed… delighted?  
  
“I believe you know Monsieur D’Argencourt. He submitted your friend’s physical and written assessments which alone would have garnered our interest,” he explained before becoming somber. “However, we also took a closer look into your friend’s involvement with the... Aubergine King.”  
  
“Marinette _saved_ us!” Alya fired back, quickly. She would not tolerate anyone connecting her friend to that _monster_.  
  
Still amused, the man nodded congenially.  
  
“Oh yes. We wholeheartedly agree with your article. Our own assessment came to the same conclusions,” he explained, shocking the aspiring journalist. “You do good work.”  
  
“H-How did you...? I posted that less than half an hour ago!” the copper haired girl burst out.   
  
Waving his hand carelessly, the tall man looked at her with amusement before nodding his head toward the television hanging from the ceiling across the room. “Turn it on. Flip to one of the news stations.”   
  
Alya was confused but acquiesced, grimacing slightly in anticipation of the slander toward her friend.  
  
Yet, when the image appeared, she found… nothing. Changing to another station, she saw the same. A puff piece on cats and their protectiveness to their owners. The weather was going to be partly cloudy with a chance of showers. Five steps to getting the abs you were dying to have.   
  
_Nothing_ about Marinette _or_ the Aubergine King…  
  
“We had much more leeway because your friend’s a minor. This would have been considerably more difficult had she been an adult. An hour ago we filed legal action and placed a media hold on Mademoiselle Dupain-Cheng,” the man interjected with his smirk. “They’ll be airing apologies before sundown and any newspapers will be printing retractions on tomorrow’s front page. _Your article_ was picked up by our system, _but_... I think we’ll let it slide.”  
  
The girl’s mouth dropped open in shock. Who were these people to have that kind of influence?  
  
“Tell your friend when she wakes up, her medical bills have been covered. Even if she doesn’t accept the offer, a Tiger level threat deserves payment,” he remarked before lifting himself out of his chair.   
  
The man nodded at the copper haired teen and moved toward the door, but stopped just as he was about to leave as if remembering something. “Oh... and Mademoiselle Césaire? Keep up the good work. We can always use more people with your insight.”  
  
And with that, the tall man walked away, leaving the girl with more questions than ever.

 

* * *

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: The nondescript man at the end was also the third and final clue about the crossover before the beginning of the next story arc. Feel free to give your guesses. In case anyone was wondering no characters from that fandom will be joining our cast. It’ll just be the overall concept and a different set of problems for our heroes.
> 
>  
> 
> Some might ask, why did Chloé do this? A better question is, how did she get away with causing so many akuma on the show? The answer is that she’s a pathological liar and her father used his influence to shift the blame which leads to these events. Luckily, Marinette has a good friend and a mysterious benefactor by her side.
> 
>  
> 
> A reviewer asked, why didn’t Alya chew Adrien out earlier? She was a bit too distraught to really process what was happening or how he got out with Chloé. Now that she’s had a bit of time and a chance to listen in on her friend’s injuries, she connected the dots and tricked him into confirming her suspicions.
> 
>  
> 
> Hope you enjoyed it.
> 
>  
> 
> Next time on Ripped: As others look back, we must continue looking forward. Where do we go from here, Marinette?


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Previously on Ripped: After confirming his involvement in her best friend’s injuries, Alya made it clear that Adrien needed to stay away. But, a new player has entered the game with a mysterious offer for Marinette.

 

 

* * *

 

A dull roar sounded in the distance. Reinforcements were coming, no doubt seeking the slain infantrymen around them. If only, they could have stopped him.  
  
The sweltering heat of the fires lapped against her cheeks, drawing sweat out across her skin, while the acrid smoke filled her tiny lungs. Across from her, a young woman stood hunched over, grimacing in pain and gripping her hands firmly on the arrow lodged deep within the meat of her thigh. A stain of crimson bloomed outward across the wound.  
  
“Jeanne! I beg of thee, allow me to help,” the floating creature implored, turning her melancholic eyes toward her companion.  
  
However, her path was blocked as the woman staggered forward, lashing outward with her sword. Jeanne’s eyes lit with a ferocity that rivaled the flames around them., but they belied the worsening pallor of her normally tanned skin.  
  
She was losing too much blood.  
  
“Begone, vile creature! I shall hear no more. Thou hast filled my head with sweet lies,” Jeanne spat with teeth bared. “Wherein once I thought thee a gift from the heavens. Now, I know that thou art truly a demon from the depths of hell, sent to sow discord in the hearts of Man.”  
  
Gallops echoed through the streets and the shouts grew louder, coming ever closer. Whether friend or foe, an army was approaching. This was not the time for stubbornness. They needed to get away.  
  
“Please, Jeanne. Thou must see reason. At the very least, thou must retreat. Prithee, my heart would not bear it should thou be killed,” the creature fretted, hoping the woman could sense the love and worry that ached through her being. Not like this. Never like this. “Use the Miraculous to escape capture. It is your only hope.”  
  
But, the woman’s countenance darkened and she delivered a another wild strike with her waning strength.  
  
“I shall not cower like the slithering serpents of hell. I leave my fate toward the Almighty and pray that He is merciful toward my folly in trusting thee. My men will find me. Begone!” Jeanne swore before finally, ripping the jewelry from her lobes.  
  
The small creature couldn’t help but send a pleading wish to the heavens to protect her Chosen as the power of the Miraculous sent her swirling back into the depths of the simple studs.  
  
But, as the darkness clouded her vision, a premonition filled her mind of a woman’s screams into the depths black.  
  
Jeanne’s fate was sealed.

 

* * *

 

Tikki awoke with a start, unconsciously phasing through the material of her chosen’s purse. A quick glance around the cluttered locker reminded her that Paris wasn’t burning and she hadn’t moved from where she’d been for the past few days.  
  
The memories of the past swirled at the forefront of the little Kwami’s mind, but the vision of her past wielder begged the question: Why now?  
  
Jeanne was long dead, centuries gone from this world. Tikki had since passed from wielder to wielder over the many years.  
  
Why now did she dream of her fallen friend? Was this merely happenstance or… was it a dark premonition of that to come?  
  
A shock of fear ran through the tiny creature’s body and she prayed that the dismal fate that had befallen the young woman of the distant past did not touch her current holder. If Marinette’s life had ended prematurely…  
  
No!  
  
Taking a deep breath, Tikki struggled to calm herself from the panic that wracked her form. She needed to look at the situation objectively. If her wielder was dead she would have vanished back into the earrings.  
  
Just like Jeanne...  
  
Banishing the morbid thoughts to the far reaches of her mind, the little god tried to focus on the now. So long as she remained manifested outside of the Miraculous, Marinette had to be alive.  
  
“Marinette is alive,” she affirmed forcefully as if her words carried the power to make it true.  
  
But, the creeping worry could not be banished so easily from her mind. Alive didn’t mean unharmed…  
  
A million terrible scenarios materialized in her head. In the many millennia of existence, she had watched such cruelty and suffering, pain and dismemberment. She prayed that such horrors had not found their way to the young woman that she had chosen.  
  
“Please... be okay,” she whispered into the darkness.  
  
A loud shuffling drew the Kwami out of her musings and she phased back into her holder’s purse, just as she had done many times over the last few days. She hid and hoped that Marinette had returned.  
  
The sound grew louder and Tikki heard the telltale scraping of the lock, giving the small god a bloom of happiness that she had to struggle to contain. It took all of her considerable willpower to keep herself from popping up to greet her dear friend. She anxiously waited to hear the sweet whispered words from the young woman.  
  
That moment didn’t come.  
  
Instead, Tikki felt the purse jostled and shoved into a larger bag along with a few other things from the locker. A wave of panic ran through her. Was this Chloé’s doing? Sabrina? Was she being stolen again?  
  
However, the Kwami’s fears were soon put to rest.  
  
“I should probably grab her charger when from her room. Marinette’s phone must be dead by now,” a familiar voice muttered softly, zipping the bag up and carrying it away. “She’ll probably want her tablet and sketchbook too…”  
  
Tikki’s heart stopped racing and her worry faded ever so slightly and felt grateful for Alya’s presence. While not ideal, this was the next best thing and hopefully, she’d be able to allay the worst of her fears.  
  
“Marinette, I’m coming,” the kwami whispered.

 

* * *

 

Darkness.  
  
Pain.  
  
Fear.   
  
She awoke to a muffled sound… Someone was... crying? The hurt disappeared and a feeling of euphoria hit her senses. Air rushed into her lungs with an uncomfortable pressure that pushed and pulled her chest apart. She felt so tired...  
  
Voices were speaking very loudly, but she wanted to sleep… Hopefully, the voices would stop fighting soon...  
  
“Marinette?” someone asked from very far away, almost like a whisper through water. Then, nothing. Maybe it was just her imagination… She was too tired anyways...  
  
The pressure in her chest slowly began to go away and her throat felt funny. She wanted to turn away, but something was keeping her in place. The lights were so bright… So much noise… She just wanted to go back to bed.  
  
“Wake up, Marinette,” the voice continued, gently squeezing her hand. The warm familiar touch made the girl feel safe and happy despite her grogginess.  
  
“Too early, Maman...,” she whined with a soft groan.  
  
The young woman tried to wave the hand away, but a sharp sting coursed through her side forcing her eyes open and sending panic through her system. The Aubergine King!  
  
“He’s not an akuma!” Marinette screamed, pulling hard on her IV line as she jumped up in her bed, startling the doctor and nurse by her side. “I need to tell him. He doesn’t know!!!”  
  
“Honey! Honey! You’re safe. He can’t hurt you. Chat Noir killed the monster,” the girl’s mother comforted, immediately jumping to her side.  
  
Rapid breaths that were still labored escaped the young woman’s lips as the adrenaline coursed through her veins. Her eyes wildly darted to and fro across the room until her mind was finally able to process the end of the battle. She was in a hospital.  
  
“Everyone’s okay?” Marinette asked with a hint of force, letting a bit of her Ladybug protectiveness out. Unconsciously, she reached up to feel that her earrings were still in place. “Adrien? Chloé? He didn’t get them?”  
  
A nod from her Maman was all she needed for confirmation and she allowed herself to lean back and relax.  
  
The weight in the air was lifted as the occupants took in her more composed demeanor and hurriedly went over the details of her injury as well as a few minor tests. She noticed a nurse surreptitiously placing a syringe away.  
  
However, it seemed as if they had only been talking for a few minutes before the physicians rushed out of the room, leaving her Maman by her side. Marinette smothered a light giggle as she noticed the slight tightening of her parent’s jaw to signify that her mother was mildly annoyed at the abrupt departure, but felt a wave of remorse when Sabine turned toward her.  
  
“I’m sorry,” the teen slipped out before she could stop herself. “I-I couldn’t just run away.”  
  
Soft eyes met her own.  
  
“You have nothing to be sorry about,” the older woman whispered. A gentle touch caressed the side of the dark haired girl’s cheek as she pulled herself closer. “We were worried when Alya called to say you were hurt, but your Papa and I raised you to care about others. No matter how terrible and undeserving they may be. We’re proud that our daughter is a hero.”  
  
Marinette felt a wave of warmth as she blushed at the love emanating from her mother’s praise, allowing just a bit of the guilt to dissipate. Idly, she let herself hope that her parents would feel the same if they ever found out she was Ladybug.  
  
Returning every bit of the feeling inside of her, the dark haired girl squeezed the other woman’s hand as tears began to well up in her eyes. She said with all of that emotion, “I love you, Maman.”  
  
Cloudy tears dripped from Sabine’s eyes and two began to weep together, letting the moment wash over them. Mother and daughter taking solace in their love.  
  
Eventually, their tears began to slow and fade away as they regained their composure.  
  
Sabine sniffled one last time before she mentioned, “Your Papa went to make you your favorite macarons. He and Alya will be back soon. They wanted to be here when you woke up, but the doctors said you were ready.”  
  
Marinette’s heart swelled at her mother’s words. That she had people that cared about her so much...  
  
However, a thought crossed the dark haired girl’s mind that made her feel guilty. Hospital visits were anything, but cheap. While not necessarily hurting for money, this was undoubtedly going to be expensive.  
  
“What about the Bakery? I hope you didn’t have to stay closed for too many days…”  
  
A smile lit up across Sabine’s cheeks; and, to Marinette’s confusion, the older woman gestured to a letter on the side table. “Alya said that this nice man dropped that off before saying that your medical bills would be covered. We’ve been so curious, but we wanted to wait for you to open it.”  
  
Puzzled, the dark haired girl reached over to open the letter.  
  
Her jaw dropped as she read, and her eyes bugged out of their sockets.  
  
“WHAT!?!?”

 

* * *

 

Dear Mademoiselle Dupain-Cheng,  
  
Due to your exemplary physical and written assessment scores as well as your efforts in the defeat of the Tiger level threat of the Aubergine King, we would like to congratulate you on your acceptance to the European Branch of the Hero Association.  
  
We hereby certify you as an Official C-Class Hero Rank 391. Please complete your hero profile online with an unclaimed alias within 60 days. If you are unable to choose a suitable alias, the Hero Association will assign you a name.  
  
As a reminder, C-Class heroes must maintain activity on a weekly basis or you will be removed from the Hero Registry. Additional requirements may be found on the Association’s website as well as your Hero Manual.  
  
Pay for heroic deeds have been direct deposited into your account. A bonus stipend of **€10,000** has been attributed for **Major** **Services in Assistance of a Tiger Level Threat** and your hospital expenses have been covered for the duration of your stay.  
  
We thank you for your commitment to justice and wish you a safe tenure.

 

Best Regards,  
  
_François Fillon  
_ European Hero Association Director

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In respect for those that officially participated, I refrained from posting due to the blackout after I heard about it. 
> 
> To those of you that guessed One Punch Man, you are correct! Sorry for anyone that guessed Agents of SHIELD or Men in Black, but those were decent guesses as well.
> 
> The hints for this crossover go all the way back to the second and third chapter. The first clue was that the physical and written assessments are the same ones used by the Hero Association. Our second clue came from the Aubergine King itself. It’s personality was based on the Sea King monster and the design was inspired by the opening of One Punch Man where you can see a weird purple monster with a lot of hair. That image made me think of eggplants and that’s where the monster came from. The third and final clue was facing a Tiger Level threat.
> 
> Some of you may be wondering about the realism of Marinette’s recovery and short stay with her injuries. So… as a bit of personal information. I actually work in healthcare and have seen a fair number of traumatic injuries. Younger people especially have this amazing capacity to bounce back and survive horrific injuries. Her most dangerous injury, the hemopneumothorax, would give her a couple days in the ICU, and depending on severity, she would be intubated and mechanically ventilated until she was outside the danger zone. Patient’s are usually mildly sedated because having a machine help you breathe is pretty jarring. Deep sedation is usually never preferred as it can have long term cognitive issues. Marinete was kept at this light level of sedation so she kind of heard Alya and Adrien talking.
> 
> Hope you enjoyed it.
> 
> Next time on Ripped: Incredulous disbelief. Crippling regret. Push on toward your destiny, Marinette. I swear I will protect you.


End file.
